I wasn't quite sure what I was going to post about today until I saw a contest on Jacque Dixon's blog! 

Her contest involves describing your individual homeschool planning style/process.

I am a pretty structured, yet eclectic, homeschooler.  I have a notebook in which I plan several months ahead.  Right now, I am planned up through mid-December.  I have six columns...  one for things we do together (devotions, unit studies, prayer, etc.) and one column for each child.  Then each column is divided into five rows...  one for each day of the school week.  Each box lists the day's assignments for each child for one school day. (In my own little short-hand).  For example:  A box for Hannah (my almost 6 year old) might look like this:

                        MATH Vid. Less. 1

                        READ:  71-78

                        RDG. 19 & 20

                        SW  11

For Math she will be starting Math-U-See and there are videos for each lesson. 

She will read a story out loud to me from her Pathway Reader and then do the reading workbook pages that accompany that story.  SW=Seat Work Workbook for first graders.  She will do this book until she is old enough for spelling tests.

We use Math-U-See for math and often do extra drill with flashcards, wrap-ups or Calculadder timed worksheets.  Each child works at their own grade level for math.

For Reading we use 100 Easy Lessons to start off and then we go to Pathway Readers and their accompanying workbooks.  Each child works at their own grade level for reading.

For Spelling we have Spelling Power.  Each child works at their own grade level for spelling.

For everything else we do unit studies such as Beautiful Feet, Considering God's Creation, etc.  We work on these subjects together in a multi-level format.  We often notebook or make lapbooks to go with what we are learning. 

Sometimes we have "Writer's Workshop" where all the children are assigned the same writing prompt and sit down to write at the table at the same time, but independantly.

For Bible we are currently working on a children's commentary series called Herein Is Love.

We have a room in our home that is our home library and office.  We have an old table and mismatched chairs, but it works.  The children do most of their book work at the table.

Often a child will be sent to do work in another room if they need more quiet and I always pull  the younger children into my sewing room (which is attached to the homeschool room) when it is time for them to read out loud to me. 

When we do group things like devotions they sit on a built in window seat bench in the school room or on the couch in our living room.  (The above picture was taken before the bench cover was sewn together!  It is done now!)

I am most excited about the additon of lapbooking into our unit study time.  It has been a great way to reinforce our learning and to have a simple and fun way to review what we have learned after the fact.  It also is an "impressive" way for the children to share what they are learning with grandparents and others interested guests in our home! 

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